36 1 ,,:. \ -;;;: rl J Silken treasure for traveling: crease-resistant linen-like weave. . . exquisitely tailored steþ-in classic by Sport-Craft, Inc. Gold, coþen-blue, navy, whzte. Custom and Misses sizes 12-40. 79.95 l MON'fAJLD0 9 S Order from nearest r INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED JEWELLERS SINCE 1847 ') "\ .. t :....:...- -, jr" " -- . - < v ../ ".1- , .., ' '- i fh/ ./ Eng agement Rings -to >t"_ .". . Diamonds of different shapes and sizes.. . unsurpassed for quality and value. . -, . .:.... :::: Shown actual size FIFTH AVENUE AND 52 STREET .NEW YORK 22 N. Y. PLaza 3 0111 any chance these keepers might be car- rYIng guns?" I asked. "All keepers carry guns," Claud said. I had been afraid of that. "It's for the vermin mostly," he added. "Ah. " "Of course, there's no guarantee they won't take a pot at a poacher now and again." "You're joking" "Not at all. But they anI} do it from behind-only when you're running away. They like to pepper you in the legs at about fifty yards." "They can't do that! " I cried. "It's a criminal offense!" "So is poaching," Claud said. We walked on awhile in silence. The sun was below the high hedge on our right now, and the lane was in shadow. "You can consider yourself lucky this isn't thirty years ago," he went on. "They used to shoot you on sight in those days." "Do you believe that?" " I k ." h . d " Th ' now It, e sal . ere wasn t a man in the whole village who didn't have a bit of shot in him. But my dad was the champion." "Good luck to him," I said. "I wish to hell he was here now," Claud said, wistful. "He'd have given anything in the world to be coming with us on this job tonight." "He could take my place," I said. "Gladly. " We had reached the crest of the hill and now we could see the wood ahead of us, huge and dark, wIth the sun going down behind the trees and little sparks of gold shining through. "You'd better let me have those raisins," Claud said. I gave him the bag, and he slid it gently into a trouser pocket. "No talking once we're Inside," he said "Just fol]ow me, and try not to go snapping any branches." Five minutes later, we were there. The lane ran right up to the wood itself and then skirted the edge of it for about three hundred yards, wIth only a little hedge between. Claud slipped through the hedge on all fours, and I followed It was cool and dark inside the wood No sunlight came in at all. "This is pooky," I said. "Sh-h-h! " Claud was very tense. He was walk- ing just ahead of me, picking his feet up high and putting them down gently on the mOIst ground. He kept his head moving all the time, the eyes sweeping